Enhancing the Curb Appeal with this #DIY Driveway Project using Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield

We feel the driveway is one of the most important part of a property, as it adds to the curb appeal. It is also the most used space in a home, and wears out the fastest because it is exposed to the sun, rain, snow, and dirt, as well as vehicle oils. In the past, to keep our driveway looking clean, fresh, bright, and dark we have used asphalt driveway sealers, and also professional driveway sealing services. However, these looks have not lasted more than a few days before the driveway has gone back to look like its old self.

Since we transformed our garage using Rust-Oleum Garage floor epoxy coating and it proved to be a success, we wanted to try the Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield line of driveway products and sealers. 

Our driveway is about 900 square feet. It was in a fairly decent shape with a concentration of small cracks that varied in length in some areas. We also had a few spots that had become depressed and started to crack due to the vehicle being parked at the same spot most of the time. We also had oil stains, which we needed to be cleaned out before applying the sealer. 

As with any type of painting or sealing project, preparation is key! The prep work took us about couple of days, we did this during the week when rain was not expected.

First, we removed the oil stains that were in different areas of the driveway by using two different EpoxyShield products. We tested the EpoxyShield Oil stain remover on the big stain. As per the instructions, we swept the area and scraped away the buildup on the stains. Then, we applied the oil remover over the stain and left it for a while and proceeded to clean the other areas. 

The oil stain remover eventually dries, and goes from a liquid form to powder and absorbs, as well as lifts the oils from the surface. We swept away the powder in the evening, and noticed that it had removed most of the stain and the area had become lighter. Since this process took a few hours we used the EpoxyShield Premium spot cleaner to clean away the other stains. 

We found the EpoxyShield Premium spot cleaner easy to use. Once we spray the solution liberally on the oil stain, we can immediately see the oil starting to come off the surface. We loved seeing the immediate results from this product. After a few minutes we used a hard bristle brush to work on the stain and remove the excess oil. To remove the oil stain completely we did this process twice. Although, the oil stain disappeared it did show a little outline of the area where the stain used to be. 

We used the EpoxyShield All Stain Primer with a brush over these areas where the oil stains used to be and this helped to make the stained area look like the rest of the driveway. This special primer is epoxy modified and specifically developed to enhance the adhesion of the sealer.

Next, we worked on the smaller cracks that were spread throughout the driveway and some longer cracks which looked like tree roots. Our Dewalt blower came in handy to clean out the cracks and remove the dust and debris prior to using EpoxyShield Premium Rubberized Crack Filler to fill the cracks. 

We initially poured the filler over the crack and noticed it was just creating a layer on top of the cracks. So we used a small putty knife to work the filler into the cracks and smoothen it out. We needed to use the putty knife to fill all the cracks. The EpoxyShield crack filler was useful in smoothening out the cracks and making them disappear.

After getting rid of the oil stains and cracks we were excited to get started on sealing the driveway. We selected the EpoxyShield Driveway Sealer Plus to seal our driveway. The Driveway Sealer Plus is supposed to be a low VOC, low odour one coat application sealer. According to the spec sheet a 17L pail is supposed to cover 1000 sq. feet of smooth asphalt. However, we ended up needing more than one container to complete our 900 sq. feet driveway.

There are two ways to apply the sealer, either with a roller or a squeegee that has a long handle. Prior to using the sealer we turned the pail upside down the previous night to help the content get mixed. When we opened the container it looked watery and had lots of clumps. We needed to use a strong stick to loosen the contents that were in the bottom of the pail and then used a paint mixer with a drill to give it a whirl. Once we mixed it well, the sealant became thick with a consistent colour and felt smooth. 

Since the sealant is epoxy based and is thicker than normal sealers we decided to use the driveway squeegee which was really useful throughout the application. The squeegee has a rubber blade on one side and stiff bristle brush on the other. 

To trim the edges of the driveway, we used an old paint brush. We started working from the top left of the driveway and worked in sections by pouring the sealant to form a puddle and then spread it horizontally with the squeegee. For some rough areas we worked the sealant into the driveway using the bristle brush and then used the squeegee to smoothen it out. 

When we were at the halfway point of sealing the driveway, we were running out of the sealer and had to make a run to the hardware store to purchase another pail of sealer. We added the new sealer into the existing bucket and mixed it with the remaining sealer to form a consistent colour. Once the whole driveway was done it looked awesome. It is always best to buy more sealer than you need as the coverage varies with the type of driveway that you may have. 

The EpoxyShield Driveway Sealer Plus is easy to apply and forms a nice, beautiful matte black coating on the driveway. It dried pretty quick and was dry to the touch and walkable in most areas within 2 hours. This is different than the sealer we have used in the past where the sealer sticks to our shoes even after a few hours of drying. The EpoxyShield Driveway Sealer Plus is supposed to be rain ready in one hour. The sealer is easy to clean with soap and water when wet. 

It has been a few weeks since we sealed our driveway and it has gone through lots of exposures such as rain, sun, dust, and vehicles, however it still looks like it was recently sealed and fresh. The EpoxyShield Driveway Sealer Plus is a great alternative to other tar based sealers and gives the driveway a beautiful, professional, clean look, adding to the curb appeal of our home.

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